Sunday Morning

"Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Ephesians 4:32

Pumpkin Soup

I love all things pumpkin, even warty ones!

 

 One thing I'd never tried, though, was pumpkin soup. So, this year I thought that it might be fun to try my hand at making a batch. A friend of a friend shared a recipe with me that she said I'd love. Since it received rave reviews from my friends, I thought that you might enjoy  stirring up a pot yourself!

Tamsel's Pumpkin Corn Chowder
8 green onions, sliced
2 TBS. Butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes (about 12 oz.)
1- 14 oz. can chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt    1/4 tsp. pepper
1- 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 can cream style corn
1 can condensed cream of celery soup (or onion)
1 cup milk
1 tsp. thyme leaves

In a large stock pot, cook onions in hot butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in pumpkin, corn, condensed soup, milk and thyme. Cook on medium heat until heated through.
To serve, sprinkle with pepitas (shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds) and/or a dollop of sour cream.

And, just in case you think I'm a slacker and I haven't been sewing, here's a hint at what I've been up to...more on that later.

I'm linking up with Homemade Ginger Jamboree Link Party today....hop over and take a look at all the fun stuff you can make!

Sunday Morning

"Satisfy us in the morning

with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy

and be glad all our days."

Psalm 90:14

Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival-Personal QR Code

It is always fun to sit awhile with my feet up and a cup of coffee in my hand as I peruse the pretty quilt entries in the Blogger's Quilt Festival. If you are here for the show, let me say "Welcome" and I hope that you enjoy my quilt!

Having been fascinated for quite some time by the quilt-like look of those cute little QR Codes used to provide product information via a smart phone or tablet, I finally decided to try my hand at producing one in quilt form!

Using a pellon grid,  it was fairly simple to graph out a personal Quick Response Code. I looked at a sample to count out the squares and to design a pattern that even includes my blog name! There are online sources that will create a code for you, but I just made up my own.

The 36 inch square quilt is backed with a favorite red and white graphic print from Anilee Hoey's Sherbet Pips line by by Moda. The binding is a grey text print from my stash. 

I used a pink variegated Aurifill no.28 thread and white Bottom Line in the bobbin to do the circular quilting on my Bernina 1630.

The red, pink, white, and a single orange Kona squares are a bunch more fun than black and white would be, don't you think! 

Quilt Festival Stats:

Quilt size: 36 in. x 36 in.

Quilted by: me-Carla Timberlake on my home machine

Special technique used: Pellon Grid

Best favorite categories: 

Two Color Quilts; Quilted on Home Machine Quilts; Wall Hangings

Now, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and join me in experiencing more festival quilts here. 
You won't be sorry....I promise!

Wordless Wednesday-One Quilt, Two Ways

Sunday Morning

Then He said to them, "Watch Out!

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;

a man's life does not consist in the 

abundance of his possessions."
Luke 12:15

Quilt Sleeves: My Shortcut Method

Everywhere I look, the splendor of autumn surrounds me as drive to and fro each day. I always am amazed at how gorgeous fall can be, making me almost forget that winter comes next! October is my second favorite month, falling only slight behind June with it's equally brilliant display of flowers.

 Autumn also means that it's quilt show time around these parts! Yep, it is time to drag out my handiwork and attach those dreaded hanging sleeves to the tops of each quilt that I'm entering in the show. This year, that would mean 8 sleeves. Ugh...

 Being lazy, I decided to use my sewing machine to baste the sleeves onto the quilts. After all, it's only a temporary addition that I will be removing from most of them, so why not make it as painless as possible! So, last night, while listening with one ear to the presidential debates, I got most of the dreaded deed accomplished! Here's my method:
Make a strip of fabric 8.5 inches wide X the width of your quilt by sewing sections of muslin or any inexpensive fabric together. I used some white-on-white stuff that I found in my stash. Fold back about an inch on each end and sew down.

 After pressing the fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, sew along the cut edge making about a quarter of an inch seam.

 This next part is where I took the liberty of doing a shortcut method: I used a long basting stitch on my sewing machine to attach the cut edge of the sleeve to the top of the quilt as shown below. Use pins to position it about an inch from either side of the quilt. You will baste stitch right on top of the seam you just sewed in the step above. Back stitch carefully at each end to make sure it is secure.

 The sleeve will be folded down after it is sewn...

 ...to create a 4 inch sleeve on the back of the quilt so that it can be hung from a rod.

 Now, I'm not advocating that you do this for a quilt you are entering in, say, the International Quilt Festival or anything like that. But for my local quilt show, those tell tale basting stitches on the front will be at the top where no one but a 9 foot giant is going to see them! (Normally, you would attach this part with a blind stitch or, even better, along with the binding when it is sewn on.)

 I quickly hand sewed the folded edge of the sleeve to the back with large stitches. Nothing fancy. I got three quilt sleeves hand sewn while watching the news last night, so it goes pretty fast. Be sure that your thread is buried into the batting and doesn't show through to the front.

 By the time I've sat through the weather and sports tonight, I should have all of these guys ready to go. 

 But, right now, I think Ginger and I will go for a walk and enjoy the show outdoors before the wind blows away God's handiwork!

Nothing can compete with that!